Marmalade Boy Volume 6, Chapter 3 pages 71-107 Written and illustrated by Yoshizumi Wataru Translation & editing by : Craig Nishida Additional translation by : Paul Hirose Yutaka Sasagawa Additional editing by : Chris Rijk Jeanne Hedge Last revision : 97-10-05 Comments? Corrections? Suggestions? Please send them to: mboy-trans@soyokaze.biosci.ohio-state.edu --------------------------------------------------- p 71 1 [Miki's pov of the magazine article.] header: National Music Competition caption: [right] Champion, Piano Division. Tsuchiya Kei (14). 2 [View shifts to show Miki, in sailor fuku, reading the open magazine.] Miki: The youngest winner of the National Music Competition?! Miki: Kei-kun... He was someone this amazing... magazine banner: Musical (Companion) magazine blurb: On-the-spot European interview: M. Algeridge 3 [View pulls back even further to show Miki and Meiko sitting in the classroom. Miki has pulled up a chair to Meiko's desk.] Miki: How come you knew, Meiko? Meiko: He's the son of a president who had business dealings with my father. When they had a victory party at his place, I was taken there and introduced. Meiko: Though I quite forgot about it. 4 [Sweating and wide-eyed, Miki covers her open mouth with one fist.] Miki: He's a talented pianist and on top of that, a high-society boy! Miki: My God! --------------------------------------------------- p 72 1 [Filler art. Miki looking pretty alluring in a long-skirted dress with buttons down the front. She pulls aside the skirt to show leg and the jumper/knickers she wears underneath.] --------------------------------------------------- p 73 1 [Close shot of Meiko, who touches a finger to her chin, in thought.] Meiko: Also, at the party, a single musical piece was played, but it was really wonderful. Even I--someone who doesn't know anything about the piano at all--was moved. Meiko: That he quit is such a waste... 2 [Miki studies her friend off-panel, in silent thought.] 3 [A tight shot of the magazine, this time lying closed.] magazine header: Musical Companion 3 magazine blurb: On-the-spot European interview: M. Algeridge 4 [Filler art. SD-Miki smiles with flowers in her pigtailed hair and on her shoulder. She raises both hands in the universal sign of victory.] --------------------------------------------------- p 74 1 [Partly cloudy skies over the houses in the neighborhood.] cicadas FX: [off] Miki: [off] So ho-o-ot . Starting the day after tomorrow, it's summer vacation at last... 2 [From above, we look down upon Miki and Meiko walking home from school. Sweating, Miki is fanning her face with her hand. Meiko seems unaffected.] cicadas FX: [off] 3 [View shifts to a position from behind Miki. Meiko turns to smile at her friend.] Miki: What are you doing this summer, Meiko? Do you have something planned? cicadas FX: [off] Meiko: Nothing in particular... Though I'll probably go, as usual, to the country home in Izu and spend some time relaxing and reading or something. 4 [View of the sky.] Miki: [off] How lucky... To be an uptown girl! To spend the summer at a country home every year! So ri-i-ich. I'll be super-busy with club activities and work! cicadas FX: [off] 5 Meiko: [winking] What are you saying? You have something a lot more wonderful to look forward to, right, Miki? --------------------------------------------------- p 75 1 [Tight shot of a blushing Miki, who also appears taken aback. Hearts cover the background.] Meiko: [off] With Matsuura-kun... A *va*ca*tion* for just the two of you . 2 [Miki's face breaks into a wide, embarrassed grin, and she claps one hand to her burning cheek and slaps Meiko's arm with the other. Meiko's eyes bug out and she reels.] Miki: C-- C'MO-O-ON... JEE-E-EEZ, MEIKO-O-O! Miki FX: Miki: STOP IT! IT'S EMBARRASSING!! 3 [Inset. Frazzled and sweating, Meiko grimaces and touches her bruised arm.] 4 [Closing her eyes and shielding them with an open palm, Miki smiles up at the bright skies.] narration: The summer I love. narration: A summer for two with Yuu. --------------------------------------------------- p 76 1 [Her view of the partly cloudy skies, the clouds backlit by the setting sun.] narration: I have the feeling it might be full of nice things! 2 [Exterior view of the Sakuma residence.] cicadas FX: 3 [Yuu looks questioningly at someone off-panel.] Yuu: The art museum? Yuu: Akizuki, you and me? --------------------------------------------------- p 77 1 [His view of a pleading Suzu-chan. She has her hands clapped together in front of her, in supplication.] Suzu: Please! Suzu's become a total fan of Meiko-san. Suzu: I want to become closer friends with her. And so, Yuu-sensei, will you act as a go-between? 2 [View pulls back to show them seated side-by-side at Suzu-chan's desk. Books and what look to be tickets lie before them.] Yuu: If it's concerning Akizuki, then it would be better to ask Satoshi-san... Suzu: [frowning] That's no good! With oniichan! He'll be sure to forget about me and just talk with Meiko-san by himself. 3 Suzu: Besides, Meiko-san might not come, right? If she'll be with oniichan... Yuu: [sweating] Uh-huh... Yuu: You might be right. 4 [Tight shot of three tickets on the desktop.] Yuu: [off] Ah. Then why don't we invite Miki, too, and the four of us go? Suzu: [off] But, there's only 3 tickets... Yuu: [off] We could buy another ticket. tickets: Impressionist Art Exhibit 5 [Suzu is without much expression, as she seems to not have considered the conversation coming to this possibility.] --------------------------------------------------- p 78 1 [A white panel.] Suzu: [off] I'm sorry for Miki-san, but... Suzu wants to go as three. 2 [Suzu turns on the acting that made a billion of her worldwide fans cry. ^_^ With hands clasped together once more, she leans toward him with wide, pleading eyes.] Suzu: As three people--with Yuu-sensei who I like a lot and Meiko-san who I like a lot!! Please, Yuu-sensei. Can't we?! 3 [Another view from over Yuu's shoulder at the wide, liquid, pleading eyes of this consummate child actress. ^_^ Yuu understandably sweats and some hairs sproing loose.] Suzu FX: 4 Yuu: [smiling] I understand. Then, I'll try talking to Akizuki. 5 [Beaming, Suzu-chan raises both arms in joy.] Suzu: Really!?! Suzu: YAYYY! --------------------------------------------------- p 79 1 [A flowery panel.] Yuu: [off] In return for that, study a little more seriously! Suzu: [off] I will, I will. I'll do my best . Yuu: [off] ......... Really? 2 [Yuu drops his gaze to an open textbook.] Yuu: Then, let's begin! Let's see. Today, starting at page 38... 3 [Tight shot of a gently smiling Suzu-chan.] ===Sidebar=== FREE TALK (7): When the anime started, there was a small response on the pronunciation of "Natchan". They said that "the intonation was different from what they were thinking." ...Actually, I thought so, too (^_^). I had meant it to be "NATchan", but they said it as "natCHAN" in the anime. I tried to ask anyway if I could get them to fix that, but it seems it was hopeless because they had already started doing it that way. I wonder if people from Kansai thought that it was "naTchan"...? Another thing, the way they say "Koishikawa" also differs from what I intended... I had meant it to be "koISHIKAWA", but it becomes "koISHIkawa" in the anime. Well, it's a minor thing, so I won't worry about it... But it still does seem a little strange to me... (^_^) --------------------------------------------------- p 80 1 [Exterior view of a large building.] sign: Impressionist Art Exhibit 2 [Yuu looks back at Meiko, who walks up to him.] Yuu: I'm sorry about today... Making you come along. Meiko: [softly smiling] Uh-uh. It's okay. 3 [Tight shot of their tennis shoes, as they walk along. Meiko has black hightops, btw, and is wearing a black, long-skirted dress with short sleeves. Tres chic.] Yuu: That it turned out that Suzu-chan, the main person, suddenly couldn't come because of work... Meiko: It couldn't be helped. She's a popular model. 4 [The two exchange smiles.] Meiko: I had fun. The impressionist exhibit was great, and I also got you to buy a catalog, hm, Matsuura-kun . Yuu: I see. Yuu: I'm glad. --------------------------------------------------- p 81 1 [Meiko purses her lips and glances at us. This is Yuu's pov.] Meiko: But... How are we going to tell Miki about today? 2 [Yuu sweats and looks off into the distance.] Yuu: Mmm... Suzu-chan likes you, Akizuki, more than Miki... That's something that's rather hard to say... 3 [Inset. A white panel.] Yuu: [off] I'll keep quiet... It's not something that's really serious... Meiko: [off] That's true. 4 [View shifts to a point far behind Meiko and Yuu, who continue to walk. A young girl with braided pigtails hides behind a wall. Clearly, she is trailing the two.] Meiko: Why don't we get something cold to drink? I've gotten thirsty. Yuu: Ahh, me too! 5 [Tight shot of the young girl. She's wearing glasses but it's clearly Suzu-chan. Smiling softly, she holds her camera.] Suzu: Suzu: Right according to plan. caption with arrow pointing at her: <---Intended to be a disguise. Suzu: I was able to take perfect pictures. Photographic evidence! --------------------------------------------------- p 82 1 [Night falls over Bobson's Ice Cream.] 2 [Miki beams back at the manager as she heads for the door. The manager smiles back from behind the counter.] Miki: Sorry for leaving before you. manager: It was a tiring day! 3 [Walking out on the sidewalk, Miki smiles gently, eyes closed as she hums to herself.] 4 [She starts as someone rests a hand on her shoulder from behind.] hand FX: 5 [View shifts. Kei stands behind her, smiling softly.] Miki: Oh! Kei-kun! Kei: Yo. 6 [View of the buildings lining the sidewalk.] Miki: [off] What's the matter? At a place like this... You don't work today, right? Kei: [off] I was going to go to that convenience store over there... My place is close by. --------------------------------------------------- p 83 1 Miki: [beaming] Oh, I see... In my case, I just finished work right now and I'm headed home from here. 2 [Kei watches her off-panel.] narration: I know. Miki: [off] Today was hot, so there were lots of customers and it was so hard... narration: The truth is, I was waiting. 3 [Miki looks up with a look of concern. This is Kei's pov.] Miki: Kei-kun... You're from the Rakuyou Music Academy? I hear you've won the piano competition many times... 4 [Kei looks stunned.] Kei: ! Miki: I heard it from Meiko. Y'know. One of my friends who came by the shop recently. You know her, right? 5 [View of the city lights.] Kei: [off] ......... She remembered, huh... Miki: [off] It's okay if you don't want to tell me... But why did you quit playing the piano? 6 [Kei's eyes grow distant. I think we're in for a flashback soon... ^_^] --------------------------------------------------- p 84 1 [A white panel.] Kei: [off] I got sick of it. Living at the piano day after day. 2 [The two stand ill-at-ease on the sidewalk.] Kei: When I was a kid, I loved the piano. Being able to play more skillfully than others made me happy... Kei: Even the lessons were a lot of fun. That's why I played the piano. 3 [Kei's gaze drifts towards the sidewalk in front of him.] Kei: But... I was told I was a genius, and my life only revolved around the piano, so playing became an obligation... Kei: So I asked myself, "why am I doing something like this?" More and more, it got to be that I didn't understand why. 4 [Miki watches Kei off-panel with a stricken look.] Kei: [off] Then, playing the piano became more and more of a pain... It was unpleasant and I couldn't stand it... But now that it was too late, I couldn't quit, so the dissatisfaction just grew and grew... --------------------------------------------------- p 85 1 [Flashback time, as Kei narrates. In this panel, Kei, in school uniform, holds a music book and yells at a woman whom we view from behind.] Kei: [off] One day... I had a fight with my teacher over the selection of music for a competition. Kei: [flashback] I want to play this one. sensei: [flashback] No! Then you won't be able to shoot for the top... sensei: [flashback] Unless you present music that is flashier and is popular with the judges... 2 [Present-day Kei still gazes vacantly in thought.] Kei: I was forced to play music I hated, and finally, I ended it. 3 [Flashback Kei tears his sheet music to shreds as his sensei looks on, aghast.] sensei: [flashback] Tsuchiya-kun! 4 [Sensei's pov as he glares angrily back, heading for the door.] Kei: [flashback] I won't play the piano ever again. I'm quitting school, too. Kei: [flashback] I'm sick and tired of this already!! 5 [Flashback Kei pointedly ignores the three adults who surround him.] Kei: [off] My parents and sensei tried all they could to persuade me... But I turned a deaf ear to them. --------------------------------------------------- p 86 1 [Kei turns his back to Miki, gaze dropped.] Kei: And so, it was decided that they'd let me have time to cool off for a while... It turned out I was able to get a leave of absence from school, leave home, too, and get them to allow me to live by myself in an apartment. Kei: But no matter how long they wait, it's useless. My resolve won't change. 2 Kei: Working part-time, reading books... I'm free at last... Peaceful day after peaceful day falls into my hands, and I breathe a deep sigh of relief. Kei: I don't want to return to the life I had. 3 [Miki stares at him off-panel.] 4 Miki: I see... You have to practice a lot day after day, hm... How trying... --------------------------------------------------- p 87 1 [A panel with textured background.] Miki: [off] But it's a waste after all. Especially when you have an amazing talent! Kei: [off] TALENT?! 2 [Kei explodes.] Kei: When you have a talent do you HAVE TO use it?! Kei: What do you know? Don't say the same things my parents and sensei say!! ===Sidebar=== FREE TALK (8): Speaking of responses related to the anime, sure enough, a huge one was "the color of Arimi's hair." According to what the anime staff told me, pink is the color used in magical shows, but it seems that green and purple are hair colors that you can use in ordinary stories, too. To an amateur like me, I think that both are no different in that they're both unrealistic... But, for Arimi's hair, the 2 final choices that remained were a light brown that was the same as Meiko's, and the present green. But a light brown is too nice-girlish; when you consider the coquettish personality, then it turned out that green is fine. A cel of a light brown-haired Arimi, of which there's only one in existence, is in my hands. So-o-o cu-u-ute!! By the way, Rokutanda started out with Natchan's color, but (at that time, Natchan's cels hadn't been made yet) I was the one who said, "a regular color like this is wasted on Rokutanda. Let's make Natchan's this color. It's all right if Rokutanda's is purple or something." Sorry, Rokutanda. --------------------------------------------------- p 88 1 [Miki flinches away from Kei. Sweating, Kei snaps out of it.] Kei: Ahh... Sorry... 2 [Miki drops her gaze.] Miki: Uh-uh. Same here. Saying things I shouldn't be saying... Miki: You're right... Your pain... Even though I don't understand it... 3 Miki: But should you be taking a leave from school, too? I'm sure all your friends are worried about you... 4 [A white panel.] Kei: [off] Friends... I don't have any. 5 Kei: Those in the piano section either regard me as a rival or as an idol. As for friends, I don't have a single one. 6 [Miki's eyes grow huge.] --------------------------------------------------- p 89 1 [Miki's pov as Kei looks towards her.] 2 [He closes his eyes and pointedly looks away.] Kei: There's no need for you to cry... 3 [Tight shot of Miki, her eyes brimming with tears.] Miki: ......... Miki: But... 4 [View pulls back to show passersby walking around them on the sidewalk. Neither looks at the other.] --------------------------------------------------- p 90 1 [The sun shines on the Bobson's sign.] 2 [Kei helps a female customer at the counter.] customer: 3 cups... 3 [Miki watches him from the corner of her eye.] 4 narration: I think, "He has a special talent that sets him apart from others"... narration: ...and "How wonderful" and "How enviable"... narration: But to the person in question there are many difficulties, huh... 5 [Miki closes her eyes and sweats.] narration: In order to develop those talents you have to make a lot of effort, hm... Miki: (How glad I am to be an ordinary person.) 6 [She looks towards Kei off-panel again.] narration: But... narration: I can't believe that things are okay the way they are. --------------------------------------------------- p 91 1 [Her pov of Kei, scooping ice cream.] narration: It's so sad. Kei-kun. narration: I wonder what I should do... 2 [Miki becomes aware of something off-panel.] 3 [It's Suzu-chan, smiling at her from outside the glass door.] narration: Suzu-chan... Suzu FX: 4 [Suzu-chan motions for Miki to come to her.] Suzu: [mouthing] Come over here! 2 [From behind the smiling manager, Kei recognizes him.] manager: Welcome! 3 [Yuu speaks to the manager.] Yuu: Excuse me. Is Koishikawa Miki here? manager: Oh, if it's Koishikawa-san you want, I relieved her just now and she went home. Yuu: I see. 4 Yuu: (Even though I dropped by special to pick her up... ...we missed each other, huh...) 5 [Kei watches in silence.] --------------------------------------------------- p 95 1 [Yuu walks down the sidewalk.] 2 [Yuu stops when he hears someone calling him from behind. It is Kei, still dressed in Bobson's uniform.] Kei: Hey. Wait a sec! 3 Kei: You. You're the one called Yuu, right? Yuu: ......... Yuu: That's right... And you're...? ===Sidebar=== FREE TALK (9): The one making the anime is an anime production company called Toei Animation, so I don't necessarily get to draw pictures or write scripts, but they did let me do some of the character designs. (Just the characters' parts I was asked to do.) The ones I did were Natchan during his high school days, Anju (her school uniform, too), Michael, Bill, Jinny, Brian, Doris, and then 3-toushin-sized versions* of each character. <*Commentary: In other words, super-deformed scaled characters. The "3" is the ratio of body length to head length.> That's all. Ryouko-sensei, Yayoi-chan, Anju as a young girl, the high school principal, the head teacher, etc., were kindly drawn by Umakoshi-san, the character designer. By the way, the one who decided on the names of the original anime characters is Matsui-san, who's the script and series director. --------------------------------------------------- p 96 1 [Kei reaches into his pocket...] Kei: Tsuchiya Kei. Do you... 2 [...and pulls out a bracelet with 3 pearls in-a-row. He holds it up.] Kei: ...recognize this? 3 [Yuu appears stunned.] Yuu: !! That's...! 4 [Kei turns to walk away, clasping the bracelet in one hand.] Kei: She... ...doesn't like it, so she told me to throw it away. Kei: Even though you went to the trouble of giving it to her. --------------------------------------------------- p 97 1 Kei: It seems she doesn't like you much anymore! Wouldn't it be better if you broke up? 2 [Yuu is taken aback.] 3 [A clear night sky looks down over the Koishikawa-Matsuura residence.] --------------------------------------------------- p 98 1 [Miki sits on her bed, holding a cordless phone to her ear.] housekeeper: [phone] Miss Meiko has been off to Izu since yesterday... Miki: I see... Miki: No, that's okay. I'll call again. 2 [Miki presses a button on the phone to hang up.] phone FX: 3 [She imagines Yuu and Meiko standing together, smiling softly at her. Hearts float in the background.] narration: Yuu and Meiko dated in secret from me... narration: Uh-uh. That can't be! 4 [Miki lies back on the bed, her head resting on one hand, and she stares at the ceiling.] narration: I'm sure there's some reason. narration: Even now, Meiko is thinking of Natchan with all her heart... 5 [Sweating and wide-eyed, Miki rolls over on her side, resting her cheek on both hands.] narration: But... narration: But what about Yuu?! --------------------------------------------------- p 99 1 narration: No way has Yuu come to prefer Meiko over me... narration: No, it can't be. narration: But why keep it a secret...? 2 [Behind her Yuu comes storming in. The door strikes the wall with force.] door FX: Yuu: I'M COMING IN, MIKI!! 3 [Isolated view of a wall of her bedroom.] Miki: [off] Yu... You surprised me. When did you come home? 4 [Shot of Yuu, who doesn't have much expression on his face.] Yuu: Just now. I have something to say to you. Yuu: Before our parents come home. --------------------------------------------------- p 100 1 [Sweating, Miki sits up, eyes wide.] Miki FX: Miki: S-- Something to say? narration: Is he saying that Meiko and...? 2 Yuu: What did you do with that? [Her eyes contract to dots.] Miki: Huh? Yuu: That! The bracelet that I gave you! 3 [His gaze grows somber.] Yuu FX: 4 [Her eyes grow very large.] Miki: Ah. That's, uhh... 5 [A grey panel.] Miki: [off] To tell you the truth, I lost it some time ago at work... I looked for it, but in the end, I couldn't find it... 6 [Blushing, she drops her gaze and looks regretful.] Miki: It's gone. I'm sorry... 7 [Yuu crosses his arms and closes his eyes in a stern posture.] Yuu: It's not gone. Yuu: That guy, Tsuchiya, has it. --------------------------------------------------- p 101 1 Miki: You're joking! Yuu: It's true. He showed it to me a little while ago. Miki: But Kei-kun said he didn't know...! 2 [Yuu fixes his gaze on her off-panel.] Yuu: He said that he was told to throw it away. That you didn't like it!! 3 [Miki sweats and cries out emotionally.] Miki: A lie! That's a lie! I didn't say such a thing! Yuu: [off] I know. I have no reason to believe something like that. --------------------------------------------------- p 102 1 [She rests a hand against her chin, sweating and contemplating.] Miki: How cruel, that Kei-kun. Why did he do something like that? Yuu: It's obvious, isn't it? He's interested in you. 2 [A grey panel.] Miki: [off] Huh? Can't be... I'm a year older... Yuu: [off] And so, are you saying you're beyond being an object of interest? He isn't thinking that way! 3 [Yuu fixes her with a stare.] Yuu: Most of the time you're pretty dense, huh. You were adopting an attitude that encourages him, weren't you, like back then with Suou! Yuu: Don't be liked by weird guys!! --------------------------------------------------- p 103 1 [Miki blushes deeply and is getting worked up.] Miki FX: Miki: Th-- Miki: That's cru-u-uel!! 2 [Her pov of Yuu as he abruptly turns his back on her and heads for the door.] Yuu: Make sure you get the bracelet back. Bye. Miki: [off] Wait a minute! 3 [Miki plants her feet apart and clenches her fists. She's pumped up now.] Miki: Are you just going to say what you want to say and run away?! Miki: There's something I want to say, too!! --------------------------------------------------- p 104 1 Yuu: [off] Yeah? Miki: [off] Why didn't you tell me that you went on a date with Meiko!?! 2 [Yuu flinches, sweats and his eyes contract to dots.] 3 Yuu: Ah . That wasn't a date... There's a sort of reason... Yuu: (How come she knows?) Miki: Meiko's my close friend, right?! 4 Miki: To think with Meiko of all people... I can't believe it!! 5 Yuu: Hey. Wait a minute! Yuu: You can't possibly be suspicious of Akizuki and me, could you? --------------------------------------------------- p 105 1 [They're both angry now.] Yuu: That's stupid! There's no reason for anything like that!! Miki: What do you mean, "stupid"? If you didn't want me to be suspicious, don't go sneaking around! 2 [They exchange glares.] 3 [Yuu spins about.] Yuu: There's no talking to you. Yuu FX: 4 Miki: [face flushed] Wha! --------------------------------------------------- p 106 1 Miki: WHAT?! STUPID! I'M NOT GOING ON ANY TRIPS WITH YOU, YUU! 2 [He looks back for one last comment.] Yuu: WHO'S TAKING YOU?!! 3 door FX: --------------------------------------------------- p 107 1 [Miki stares at the closed door off-panel, her face stricken and eyes overflowing with tears.] narration: Wha... narration: Wha-a-at? 2 Miki: [off] (He didn't have to get that angry.) Miki: [off] (What did I sa-a-ay?) Miki: [off] (YUU, YOU IDIOT...!!) --------------------------------------------------- -------------------End of Chapter------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Scorecard: Miki --|-- Yuu --->+<--- Meiko ---> Natchan ^ | ^ | | | | Suzu | Kei Satoshi (Miwa) Ginta <---> Arimi Rumi <---> Youji ^ ^ ^ | | | | v v Tsutomu Jin <---> Chiyako (Rokutanda) ---------------------------------------------------